REINTERPRETING ACHEBE'S "A MAN OF THE PEOPLE POST-COLONIALLY
Abstract
This paper would like to examine Chinua Achebe’s novel A Man of the People (1966) in the post-colonial Nigeria perspective. The novel-text depicts corrupt influence of power on the common men and the politicians, sexual-political rivalries. Socio-political disorder gives a way to corruption, exploitation, despair, and anguish in the post-independent Nigerian society and community. The paper aims to present corruption, exploitation, and social injustice in society and acquisition of material wealth by a nefarious policy. Achebe’s novel A Man of the People is a mirror of political opportunism and prevalent corruption in the socio-political aspects of a 20th-century Nigeria. Achebe challenges the derogatory image of Nigeria and refutes western influences on Nigerian nation. As a self-conscious critic and social observer of the age, the novelist wants to present prevalent issues very faithfully. Themes and characters are vividly reflected through political and socio-cultural trends of a 20th-century Nigeria. For this purpose, the paper would like to examine the characters of Chief Nanga and Odilli Samalu with a view to fostering a perfect picture of post-colonial Nigeria’s corrupt politics. Achebe exposes the political malady through the characters of Nanga and Odilli who represent existing social and political contradictions. Both Odilli and Nanga, representing the young educated Nigerian and a stereotype in Nigerian politics, are drawn to alien culture and are corrupted by emerging new forces of power and wealth. Odilli opposes against an unscrupulous politician Chief Nanga regarding his corrupt political ruling system. The paper would like to unveil how once upon a time the common Nigerians were dominated and oppressed by the British. And, this Chief Nanga is a follower of the British rulers. The paper also would like to investigate Achebe’s treatment of socio-political system of his contemporary age. Finally, this paper would like to make a comparative study between Syed Shamsul Haque’s play Nuruldin’s Lifetime and Achebe’s novel A Man of the People with a view to highlighting the practical picture of the corrupt socio-political system of the dishonest and powerful rulers of the age. Through similarities and differences, it aims to look at Haque’s and Achebe’s treatment of socio-political system through investigating their texts.
Keywords: Chinua Achebe, Chief Nanga, Nuruldin, Odilli Samalu, and Post-colonial Nigeria.
References
Achebe, Chinua. (1966). A Man of the People. New York: Anchor Books, 1989.
Ahsan, Mostafa, Tarequl. Literary Works of Syed Shamsul Haque, published by Dr. Abdul Wahab, Director In charge, Text Book Division. Dhaka: Bangla Academy, 2008.
Ezejura, Phanuel Akubueze. Towards African Literary Independence: A Dialogue with Contemporary African Writers. Connecticut: Connecticut Greenwood Press, 1980.
Gikandi, Simon. “Forward: Chinua Achebe and the Institution of African Literature.” The Chinua Achebe Encyclopaedia, edited by M. Keith Booker. Green Wood Press, vii-xvi, 2003.
Gikandi, Simon. “Chinua Achebe and the postcolonial Aesthetic: Writing, Identity, and National Formation.” Studies in Twentieth Century Literature, 15(1). Boston: University of Massachusetts, 1991, p.31.
Gilbert, Helen and Joanne Tompkins. Post-Colonial Drama: Theory, Practice, Politics. Routledge, 1996.
Heywood, Christopher, editor. Perspectives on African Literature. London: Heinemann, 1975, p.82.
James, Luis. “The Protest Tradition Black Orphens asnd Transition.” Protest and Conflict in African Literature, edited by Cosmo Pieterse & Donald Munro. London: Heinemann, 1969, p.118.
Maleki, Nasser and Maryam Navidi. “Foregrounding Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: A Postcolonial Study.” Canadian Social Science, vol. 7, no. 6, 2011, pp.10-15.
Mbiti, John S. African Religion and Philosophy. London: Heinemann, 1970, p.20.
Okoko, Anthony Chinedu. Narrative Mobility: Comparative Studies of Chinua Achebe’s Five Cultural and Political Novels of Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, No Longer at Ease, A Man of the People, and Anthills of the Savannah. MA thesis. Department of English, University of Dalarna, 2006.
Osterhammel, Jürgen. Colonialism: A Theoretical Overview, translated by Shelley Frisch. Markus Weiner Publishers, 2005, p.16.
Palmer, Eustace. The Growth of the African Novel. London: Heinemann, 1979, p.72.
Rodney, Walter. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. East African Publishers, 1972, p.149.
Sarvan, Charles Ponnuthuri. “Achebe’s A Man of the People and Narayan’s The Guide: A Comparative Study.” South Asian Responses to Chinua Achebe, p. 56.
Singh, Satyanarain. “Chinua Achebe and the Dynamics of Change in African Sensibility.” The Indian Journal of English Studies, p.55.
Sivasankar, K. and Dr. V. Ganesan. “Chinua Achebe: An Exemplar in the Postcolonial Epoch.” International Journal of Science and Research, vol. 4, issue 12, 2015.
Sivaramakrishnan, V. The African Mind: A Literary Perspective. Bombay: Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, 1990, p.24.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Declaration/Copyright transfer:
1. In consideration of the undertaking set out in paragraph 2, and upon acceptance by ANGLISTICUM for publication of the manuscript in the Journal, I/We hereby assign and transfer publication rights to ANGLISTICUM, whereas I/We retain the copyright for the manuscript. This assignment provides ANGLISTICUM the sole right and responsibility to publish the manuscript in its printed and online version, and/or in other media formats.
2. In consideration of this assignment, ANGLISTICUM hereby undertakes to prepare and publish the manuscript in the Journal, subject only to its right to refuse publication if there is a breach of the Author’s warranty in paragraph 4 or if there are other reasonable grounds.
3. Editors and the editorial board of ANGLISTICUM are empowered to make such editorial changes as may be necessary to make the Manuscript suitable for publication.
4. I/We hereby acknowledge that: (a) The manuscript submitted is an original work and that I/We participated in the work substantively and thus I/We hereby are prepared to take public responsibility for the work; (b) I/We hereby have seen and approved the manuscript as submitted and that the manuscript has not either been published, submitted or considered for publication elsewhere; (c) The text, illustration, and any other materials included in the manuscript do not infringe upon any existing copyright or other rights of anyone.
5. I/We hereby indemnify ANGLISTICUM and the respective Editors of the Journal as mentioned in paragraph 3, and hold them harmless from any loss, expense or damage occasioned by a claim or suit by a third party for copyright infringement, or any suit arising out of any breach of the foregoing warranties as a result of publication of the manuscript.